It's emails and texts for most over 50s!

Friday, 24 April 2009

Recent figures from a survey conducted by Saga reveal the unavoidable truth about the changing means of communication among older adults. The art of letter writing is dying out; younger age groups use emails and texts as do computer literate over 50s. Recent figures from a survey conducted by Saga reveal the unavoidable truth about the changing means of communication among older adults. Not many people now write letters, especially among the young, but it appears that fewer than half of over 50s do so, the rest preferring to send emails and texts.

However, electronic communications are, said the Saga group, no replacement for a "time-considered thoughtful letter."

Respondents to the survey comprised over 11,000 over 50s. Of these 72 per cent of over 70s write letters by hand, unsurprising, as this group is less computer literate than younger senior age groups. However, 47 per cent of 50-year olds write letters. Most people (79 per cent) value handwritten letters and mourn the passing of this time honoured and literary way of communicating. Nearly half of over 50s thought that communicating by letter was more emotionally satisfying than exchanging emails, while 19 per cent of this age group disagreed.

As editor-at-large of Saga magazine Emma Soames said: "Letters are valuable because a great deal of personal thought goes into writing them. And they can be financially rewarding with considerable value to archivists, historians and at auction.

"Emails might be good at getting news out quickly but they are not a simple out-and-out substitute for a time-considered thoughtful letter. I mourn its passing."

In another Saga survey about letters, 62 per cent of respondents preferred to receive a handwritten love letter than an email or text. Seven per cent preferred emails while only 3 per cent favoured text messages.

An example of a beautiful love letter is one written by Napoleon to his wife Josephine on December 29 1795:

"I awake all filled with you. Your image and the intoxicating pleasures of last night, allow my senses no rest. Sweet and matchless Josephine, how strangely you work upon my heart.

"Are you angry with me? Are you unhappy? Are you upset?

"My soul is broken with grief and my love for you forbids repose. But how can I rest any more, when I yield to the feeling that masters my inmost self, when I quaff from your lips and from your heart a scorching flame?

"Yes! One night has taught me how far your portrait falls short of yourself!

"You start at midday: in three hours I shall see you again.

"Till then, a thousand kisses, mio dolce amor! but give me none back for they set my blood on fire."

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